Pneumatic valve-action.



No. 639,477. Patented Dec. 19, I899. J. WIESER. PNEUMATIC VALVE ACTION.

(Application filed. June 18, 1898. Renewed May 26, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet I.

(No Model.)

IYNVENTOH MlWQ w B) Z ATT H s.

ITNESSE Patented Dee. l9, I899. J. WIESER.

PNEUMAHC VALVE ACTION.

(Apylication filed Juno 18, 1898. Renewed May 26, 1899.)

2 Shbets$heet 2.

(No Model.)

A TTOH EYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT .FFlGEe ASSIGNMENTS, or YORK, N. Y.

ONE-HALF TO HERHANN LEONARD, OF NElV PNEUMATIC VALVE-ACTlON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 639,477, dated December 19, 1899.

Application filed June 18, 1898. Renewed May 26, 1899. Serial No. 718,425. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JosErH WIESER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dolgeville, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Valve- Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pneum atic valve-action for mechanical musical instruments in which the parts composing the action are conveniently assembled and operated with great reliability and eliiciency and in which the individual parts respond quickly and efiectively to the alternating action of the suction and the atmospheric pressure.

The invention consists of a pneumatic valveaction which comprises a wind-chest connected with a suction-bellows, flexible diaphragms in said wind-chest, each connected by suitable duets, respectively, with the tracker, and a regulating-duct having means for regulating the fast or slow movement of the diaphragm, pneumatics arranged on the wind-chest and each communicating by a valved duct with the atmosphere, a contact pinor screw in the movable member of the pneumatic for tightly closing the air-inlet valve of the pneumatic, a duct connecting the wind-chest with the pneumatic, a hinged and spring-actuated valve controlling the duct, a lifting-rod interposed between said valve and the flexible diaphragm, so as to operate said valve when the diaphragm is operated, and a sticker-rod connecting the movable member of the bellows with the valve which closes the duct leading to the sound producing devices, said sticker-rod serving to open the valve against the tension of a valve-closing spring, as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of myimproved pneumatic valve-action for mechanical musical instruments, showing its connection with the tracker and sound-producing devices, all the parts being shown in their normal position of rest; and Fig. 2 is a like section showing the parts of my improved valve-action in second or operating position.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a wind-chest, which is connected by a suitable flexible pipe with the power-bellows by which the suction on the wind-chest is sustained. In the wind-chest are arranged as many flexible di'aphragms a as there are inlet-openings in the tracker B, through which atmospheric air is supplied when permitted by the perforated music-sheet O, that is drawn over the same in any approved manner. The flexible diaphragm a is applied to a duet-carrier D, which is arranged in the body of the wind-chest, said duct-carrier being provided with as many ducts (Z as there are air-openii'igs in the tracker, and said ducts being connected by flexible pipes 61 with the ainopenings in said tracker. Below the ducts (Z is arranged a second series of ducts (6 which are connected by openings (6 with the lower part of the wind-chest A, said openings being each more or less closed by means of a regulating device or screw 0, so as to regulate the passage of air from the ducts (Z to the wind-chest. The ducts (Z and d terminate below the flexible diaphragm a and extend into a concaved or dishing portion d arranged in the duct-carrier D, as shown clearly in the drawings, and receiving the diaphragm a, without, however, hermetically closing the ends of the ducts (Z (P, so that a suction action is still exerted on the perforated music-sheet passing over the tracker.

On each flexible diaphragm a rests the eon vex head f of a lifting-rod j, which passes through a guide-opening f in the top of the wind-chest, into contact with the face of a hinged and spring-actuated valve F, which normally closes a duct f but connects the wind-chest with the pneumatic G, arranged on top of the wind-chest, said pneumatic being in communication by a duet g with the atmosphere and said duct being closed by a flap-valve g, which extends over the inner end of the duct g and which is held in tightlyclosed position by an adjustable contact pin or screw g arranged in the movable member of the pneumatic, so as to tightly close the valve 9 when the pneumatic is actuated by the suction act-ion of the wind-chest. The valve g is preferably provided with a thickened head or button 9 of leather or other suitable material, on which the screw g presses Without injur to the valve. The head or button g is made of larger size than the inner end of the duct g, so as to tightly close the flexible valve g onto the edges of the same. A recess 9 is formed in the inner surface of the movable member of the pneumatic G, so as to provide the required space for the head or button and permitting proper play of the button during the opening of the valve g as far as permitted by the con tact-screw 9/ The flexible diaphragms a are preferably arranged in three or more rows, which are offset one from the other, the ducts f and valves F being located correspondingly in the top part of the wind-chest, so as to provide the proper space in grouping them. This is made in the well-known manner, so as to permit the grouping of the flexible diaphragms, lifting-rods, and valves within the space usually provided for them.

The outer end of the movable member of the pneumatic G is connected by a stickerrod H with a hinged and spring-actuated valve 1, which opens or closes the duct 1, leading to the reeds or sound-producing devices f. The sticker-rod is guided in the wind-chest A, connected with the soundproducing devices. On the sticker-rod is preferably arranged an enlarged sleeve H, having a eoncaved upper end that is preferably covered at 7b with soft material, so as to render connection with the movable member of the pneumatic G noiseless, the sticker-pin being threaded, so as to permit the adjustment of the enlarged sleeve on the sticker-rod. The upper end of the stickerrod passes through the perforated end of the movable member of the pneumatic G.

Myimproved pneumatic valve-action is operated as follows: \Vhenever one of the perforations of the m usic-sheet 0 passes over the air-openings in the tracker B the air passes through the connecting-pipe d and duct d to the under side of the flexible diaphragm a, so that the same is bulged by the pressure of the atmospheric air against the rarefied air in the exhaust chest. The flexible diaphragm in its bulged position lifts the red f and opens thereby the valve F. The opening of the valve F establishes communication with the exhaust-chest, so that atmospheric pressure produces a downward and inward action of the movable member of the pneumatic G, as shown in Fig. By the downward motion of the movable member of the pneumatic G the contact pin or screw 9 ex erts a positive pressure on the valve g, so as to close the duct 9 hermetically and prevent any ingress of atmospheric air to the pneumatic. The outer end of the movable member of the pneumatic G actuates the stickerrod by moving it in downward direction, so as to open the valve I, which permits the suction in the wind-chest A to act on the soundproducing devices 1'. As soon as a perforation of the music-sheet C has passed over the tracker, so that the air is shut off from the opening of the same, the flexible diaphragm is immediately returned into its former position by the venting of the contained air through the port (Z in connection with the tension of the spring on the valve F. The air below the flexible diaphragm passes out by the wind-chest through the duct d and opening (I at the lower part of the wind-chest. The proper working of the flexible diaphragm is regulated by the position of the regulating device or screw (2, so as to equalize any inequality in the material used for the flexible diaghragm and also the tension of the spring of the valve F. In other words, by means of the regulating-screws a means is provided for producing a uniform action of all the flexible diaphragms without necessitating the regulating of the individual parts of the pneumatic-action. As soon the flexible diaphragm is returned into its normal collapsed position the lifting-rod is likewise returned into its lower position and the valve F instantly closed by the combined action of the atmospheric air and the spring, as shown in Fig. 1. Simultaneously the sticker-rod is raised by the spring action of the valve I, and the movable member of the pneumatic G is returned into normal position, so that the atmospheric air can enter through the duct g, below the valve 9, which valve is opened by the action of the pneumatic in being opened by the sticker-rod on its return and pressure of the atmospheric air entering the port r, whereby all the parts of the action are returned to their normal closed position, ready for the next action produced by another perforation in the music-sheet passing over the tracker.

The advantages of my improved pneumatic valve-action are, first, that all parts can be readily assembled as required by the mechanical musical instruments to be used; secondly, that the parts respond quickly and effectively, so as to influence the sound-pro ducing devices whenever the flexible diaphragm is operated from the tracker; third, that all the parts are returned quickly into normal position after actuation, so as to be ready for the next actuation; fourth, that dust is successfully excluded from the entire action by the horizontal arrangement of the inlet-valve g' on the duct {1, by which the valve is only slightly opened sufficiently to u (to .permit the ingress of air, while preventing the inlet of dust carried along with the air.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A pneumatic valve-action, composed of a wind-chest, a flexible diaphragm arranged in said wind-chest, a duct below and leading from said diaphragm to the air-inlet opening of the tracker, a second duct below and leading from said diaphragm to the wind-chest, a regulating device in said connecting-duct, a pneumatic provided with a valve, an inletduct, a contact pin or screw for tightly closing said valve, a duct between the pneumatic and wind-chest, a spring-actuated valve in said latter duct, a lifting-rod interposed between the flexible diaphragm and said spring-actuated valve, another spring-actuated valve, for opening and closing the duct leading to the sound-producing devices, and a sticker-rod connecting the movable member of the pneumatic with said latter valve, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination .of a wind-chest, a flexible diaphragm in the same connected with the air-inlet opening in the tracker, a duct be- JOSEPH WIESER.

\Vitnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, GEO. W. JAEKEL. 

